Page 33

Claire marched across the grass, her strides long, her body

heated with anger. If she plunged in at this rate, the whole

damn sound would probably boil around her superheated form.

“Get out of the water!” Claire demanded when the tips of

her pumps hit sand. She watched Haley swim like a damn

dolphin out there, and no, she was not impressed by the way

she cut through the water so effortlessly, by the mere fact that

she was surviving the chill of it at all. Like her current

situation, she was thriving.

Haley heard her shout, if not her words, as she breached the

glassy surface. At least there wasn’t much of a breeze to stir

up any waves. She shook her head, sending a spray of water

droplets over the placid surface, and turned to regard Claire.

Haley wore confidence well, and God knew the water loved

her. It slicked down her dark hair but clung to her eyelashes

and rolled down her face, beading on her full lips.

Haley was as beautiful looking like a drowned rat as she

was fully made up with her hair straight and shiny and her

makeup in place.

For a moment, Claire thought Haley would defy her, and her

heart beat out a furious rhythm that left her ribs feeling

pummeled. Defy me and we’ll see what happens to you.

Instead, she swam back toward the beach. When she walked

out of the water, Claire was breathless. Her mouth went so dry

that it was difficult to swallow.

“Holy fuck,” she muttered, then felt her face heat up. She

never had these problems with anyone else. She never slipped

up. Never lost her self-control. The façade that she maintained

was something she’d found useful over the years for so many

reasons. Luckily, Haley didn’t hear her whispered curse.